Abstract: A method of collecting data on radioactive material includes: positioning a detector unit at a first position relative to the environment; collecting at least a part of a first set of data from a first position using a detector unit; and collecting at least a part of one or more subsequent sets of data on the environment from one or more subsequent positions using the detector unit; wherein one or more of the subsequent positions is determined, at least in part, by considering at least a part of the data of one or more of the sets of data previously collected. The subsequent positions are determined so as to improve the information on the radioactive material provided as a result of the data collected from that position.

Abstract: Monitoring radioactive emissions includes providing a processor having a plurality of potential data input channels, providing data input to the processor the potential data input channels, that data input being generated by an instrument, and combining all the data inputs in the processor. The processor is configured to handle data input from at least two of each of the following groups: (i) a gamma detector, a low resolution gamma detector, a high resolution gamma detector, a beta detector, an alpha detector, an ion detector, an X-ray detector, a neutron detector, a detectors responding to passive emissions, a detector responsive to active emissions, a detector responsive to a transmission source; and (ii) a distance measurer, such as a range finder, a visual radiation detector, such as a still camera and/or digital camera and/or video camera, a measurer of weight, a measurer of mass, a measurer of size.

Abstract: A method of determining a function and a method of monitoring using a function is provided in which the function relates the proportion of one or more radionuclides detectable using a radiometric instrument to one or more radionuclides which cannot readily be detected using a radiometric instrument to provide more reliable results.

Abstract: The method includes providing the volume of waste in a monitoring space; providing a support, the support being provided with a plurality of detectors for radioactive material; monitoring the volume of waste for radioactive material, in one or more parts, to give a monitoring results; and correcting the monitoring result for geometry and/or attenuation to give a corrected result using a correction factor. The correction factor is obtained by a method that includes providing a simulation of an equivalent volume of waste free of radioactive material in an equivalent monitoring space, with equivalent detectors; providing a known activity radioactive source at one or more positions in the volume of waste; determining the detector response to the source in a position, a comparison of the response and known activity contributing to a correction function for that equal volume, one or more such correction functions providing the correction factor.

Abstract: A method for providing information on the dispersion of a radioactive material within a matrix includes measuring emissions of a first energy, the emissions including emissions of a first type, to provide a first type value; measuring emissions of a second energy, the emissions including emissions of a second type, to provide a second type value; measuring emissions of a third energy, the emissions including emissions of a third type, to provide a third type value; the interrelationship of the values for the first type value, second type value and third type value providing information on the dispersion of the radioactive material within the matrix due to the different effects of dispersion upon those different values.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for establishing the nature and level of radioactive sources within waste, particularly of a compactable nature. Detectors sensitive to low energy level radiation are provided with protection against dust contamination. Further detector configurations are provided to establish the presence of metallic material and/or higher energy level gamma emissions and/or detectors with a lower sensitivity to the emissions and/or detector configurations sensitive to neutrons are further provided.

Abstract: Monitoring radioactive emissions includes providing a processor having a plurality of potential data input channels, providing data input to the processor the potential data input channels, that data being generated by an instrument, and combining all the data inputs in the processor. The processor is configured to handle data input from at least two of each of the following groups: (i) a gamma detector, a low resolution gamma detector, a high resolution gamma detector, a beta detector, an alpha detector, an ion detector, an X-ray detector, a neutron detector, a detectors responding to passive emissions, a detector responsive to active emissions, a detector responsive to a transmission source; and (ii) a distance measurer, such as a range finder, a visual radiation detector, such as a still camera and/or digital camera and/or video camera, a measurer of weight, a measurer of mass, a measurer of size.